North Korea: Possible missile launch?

A North Korean soldier at the truce village of Panmunjom in the demilitarized zone on April 23, 2013.

Credit:

Kim Jae-Hwan

SEOUL, South Korea — April 25 is something of a holy day for the North Korean leadership.

It marks the founding of the guerrilla army in 1932 that they — often romantically — claim valiantly fought off Japanese colonials and saved the Korean race from slavery. (In reality, the army played a minor role.)

Every year, the military marks the anniversary with a lavish parade. But this year, some Korean press are reporting that there might not be major festivities tomorrow for reasons still unclear.

A test-fire is possible, following the reported movement of two short-range Scud missiles to the east coast. That's near the area where, in early April, the North also placed two medium-range missiles.

The South Korean defense ministry now claims, on the other hand, that the North could test a mid-range Musudan missile as late as July.

In addition to April 25, they cite two other possible dates: April 30, when the US-South Korea joint Foal Eagle military exercises end, and July 27, the anniversary of the armistice that halted the Korean War of 1950 to 1953.

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